It is advantageous for several reasons to pack single absorbent articles of the above-mentioned kind in the introduction in individual packing wraps. In this way, small, handy packs are obtained, which can easily and conveniently be carried, for example in a handbag, or in a pocket, and from which an article can be removed when necessary. Such individual packs ensure that the article is protected against soiling and crumpling until use and are therefore greatly appreciated by users. With suitable design of the packing wraps, these can also serve as wrappers for used articles, which can thus be disposed of in a hygienic and aesthetically acceptable way.
A common way of individually packing absorbent articles is first to fold them together into a smaller format and then to wrap them in a thin packing wrap made of plastic or paper. Such a packing wrap often consists of a rectangular material piece which has been folded in the transverse direction around the folded packing-configured absorbent article. The packing wrap is subsequently joined together along its open edges so that a more or less sealed bag-like container for the absorbent article is formed.
The absorbent article to be packed individually is usually folded once or twice before the packing wrap is folded around the article. Small absorbent articles such as, for example, panty liners are sometimes also packed in an unfolded state.
One type of individual packing is described in the document GB 2,221,667 A where an absorbent article is doubled in a first step, after which a packing wrap is folded around the article. The packing wrap is finally sealed around its three sides which are open after folding.
When an individual packing of the type described in GB 2,221,667 A is to be opened, this is usually effected by the seal along one or more of the edges being broken open, after which the absorbent article can be taken out of its packing.
Another type of individual packing has separate material pieces arranged on the upper side and the lower side of a folded or unfolded absorbent article. The two material pieces are then sealed along their entire periphery, a packing wrap then being formed. These individual packings normally have a rectangular or square shape, but packings profiled according to the contour of the absorbent article are also found. Profiled individual packings are most common for small absorbent articles such as panty liners and small sanitary towels. Individual packings of the kind described can be opened in a number of different ways. For individual packings made of paper, the commonest method is quite simply to tear off one edge when the packing is to be opened.
For individual packings made of plastic films, the opening problem has often been solved by arranging a weakening of the film material along one of the edges of the individual packing, it then being possible for the film material to be torn apart along the weakening. The commonest and simplest type of weakening consists of a perforation along a length of the periphery of the individual packing. It is usual to arrange the perforation parallel and adjacent to one of the edges of the packing wrap, so that an edge strip is quite simply torn off when the packing is opened. In this connection, the perforation should be arranged in both the front and rear material pieces of the packing wrap and also suitably extend all the way from one edge to the opposite edge of the packing.
Edge seals which can be broken open are also found. The edge seal along part of the periphery of the individual packing is then weaker than remaining parts of the edge seal, so that this part of the periphery can easily be broken open when the individual packing is to be opened.
A type of individual packing for absorbent articles is described in patent EP 0,865,264.
The packing in accordance with this document is rectangular and comprises a special opening tab. The opening tab is connected to the rest of the packing along one of its edges, while the opposite edge is free and constitutes the opening location of the packing. The free edge of the opening tab extends over one surface of the packing parallel to two of the edges of the packing.
The packing has a special openable tape tab arranged on the opening tab, intended to hold the free edge of the opening tab in place against the surface of the packing wrap. Such tape tabs are also arranged in order to facilitate closing of a used absorbent article placed inside the packing wrap before its disposal.
Tape tabs of the kind described can also serve as means for detection of the positioning of the opening. This detection possibility is advantageous when a person with reduced ability to see is to open the packing wrap as s/he can feel where the opening is located.
A tape tab on the packing wrap according to the description above nevertheless involves certain disadvantages, a first being the extra material cost the tape tab involves. A second disadvantage is that the manufacturing rate is reduced as the separate tape tabs have to be applied to the packing wrap, which also has a negative effect on the cost of the individually packed absorbent article. A third disadvantage is that tape tabs of the kind described are in principle suitable only for packings comprising an opening tab.
In spite of many improvements having been made as far as the openability of individual packings is concerned, the problem still remains of finding where on the packing the opening is located when it is to be opened.
This is a particularly irritating problem for people with impaired vision, which is not uncommon especially among elderly users of absorbent articles of the incontinence pad type.
Existing solutions using colour-markings which show where on the individual packing the opening is located are not a functional solution for weakly sighted users either.
Lastly, it is not an appropriate alternative for weakly sighted incontinent users of incontinence pads to ask another person for help with opening an individually packed absorbent article because incontinence is a particularly taboo complaint which sufferers are reluctant to reveal to people around them.